Friday, January 7, 2011

Sarah Steelman, the only candidate that has announced her plans to run for US Senate on the GOP ticket, was in St. Louis Thursday evening to meet with St. Louis Tea Party leaders. She took questions and listened to our concerns. I'm optimistic that our meeting tonight will inform her decisions as she crafts the policy platform for her 2012 race against Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

3 comments:

I see the Washington DC Lobbyists are looking forward to Steelman being in Washington DC. This from Hotline:

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Steelman Catches A Big Fish: Former Missouri Treasurer Sarah Steelman picked up a big endorsement for her Senate bid on Thursday: Gregg Hartley.

Hartley is one of the top lobbyists on Capitol Hill, currently working for Cassidy and Associates. He has deep ties to Missouri, having served as Sen. Roy Blunt's (R) chief of staff as he was ascending the leadership in the House.

In an email to his personal email list -- obtained by Hotline On Call -- Hartley threw his weight behind Steelman. The email had the subject, "Steel Magnolia from Missourah," and in it Hartley wrote that he is ready to back Steelman even though it is unclear whether there will be a contested Republican primary.

I've seen those memos. They look like a hatchet job, so I believe the information within them has to be verified. She deserves a fair appraisal on the facts.

That said, a reader did send this to me: "The Services Employees (International Union) do back a few Republicans, notably New York Gov. George Pataki, who is seeking re-election this year, and in Missouri, state Sen. Sarah Steelman, R-Rolla." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 14, 2002)

The establishment GOP would not pick Steelman--she's made too many enemies in the party. She has a long history of opposing earmarks in stark contrast to Missouri's GOP Congressional delegation. I think she's a genuine fiscal conservative.

The issue you raise about lobbyists liking her... that seems like thin gruel to me, but I understand where you're coming from. Do you really want a Senator with no network inside the beltway? For me: some days yes and some days no. Mostly I want them to have the resources to further Constitutional government.